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The Many Sides of the Blue and Gold Macaw

Blue and Gold Macaw in flightThis magnificent parrot, also known as the Blue and Yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna) is something of an anomaly – rare in places, extinct in others, well known as a pet yet awe-inspiring even to veteran bird-keepers.

Range and Status

The Blue and Gold Macaw’s huge range stretches from Central America (southern Panama) south through Columbia to Ecuador and Northern Peru and southeast through Venezuela to Trinidad, French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and northern Argentina.

In some areas, an innate intelligence and adaptability, along with legal protections, have allowed it to remain the most commonly-encountered macaw.  Elsewhere, however, its fate has been grim…indeed, the species disappeared from Trinidad by the early 1960’s (but has been re-introduced, please see below).  Introduced populations thrive in Mexico, Florida and other places.

Habitat and Behavior

Blue and Gold Macaws favor forest edges, overgrown swamps and riverside palm stands, but they venture far afield while foraging.  In Venezuela I observed them well out over the llanos (flooded grasslands), with not a tree in sight.  In some regions they remain within thick forests during the dry season and spread out into open habitats as the rains arrive.

Like most parrots, these sociable birds utilize regular roosting sites, leaving at first light and foraging, sometimes at great distances, until sunset.  The sight of a flock of Blue and Gold Macaws, backlit by the setting sun as they approach their roost, is among the most spectacular to be seen in the American tropics.

These huge birds always remain close to their mates…even within large flocks, paired birds, flying so that their wings are nearly touching, are easy to distinguish.  As much or more so than any parrot, Blue and Gold Macaws thrive on company – single captives will languish without ample human companionship and stimulation.

Pet Pros and Cons

As pets, Blue and Gold Macaws have much to recommend them, but again they present us with two sides.  They are, without question, one of the calmest of the macaws, and most are quite playful even as adults.  When handled properly, they bond well with people and become most affectionate to their owners.  Many develop impressive vocabularies as well, and they speak in deep tones that befit their size.

However, in common with their relatives, Blue and Gold Macaws demand a great deal of attention, have extremely loud voices, and require huge cages or outdoor aviaries along with near-daily out-of-cage time.  Breeding birds sometimes undergo a drastic change in personality, becoming extremely aggressive to even long-favored caretakers.

Conservation Efforts

The Blue and Gold Macaw seems to be holding its own in some areas, while declining in others; its status in many regions has not been accessed.  It is listed on Appendix II of Cites.

As mentioned, the Blue and Gold Macaw disappeared from Trinidad in the early 1960’s, a victim of habitat loss and over-collection.  In 1999, conservationists based at the Cincinnati Zoo began the process of reintroducing this gorgeous bird to its former island home.  Supported by private, government and corporate funds, wild-caught macaws were released and monitored over several years.  Local people were recruited to observe and protect the birds, and to deter poachers.  The “new” Blue and Gold Macaws were adopted by local schools as a flagship species, and are now thriving.

Further Reading

Blue and Gold Macaw video from the Cincinnati Zoo.

Other Macaw articles on ThatBirdBlog:

An Overview of Popular Macaws

Observing Wild Scarlet Macaws 

 

Blue and Gold Macaw image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by TonyBrierton and Snowmanradio

One comment

  1. avatar

    We have two pairs of blue and gold macaws and we built an outdoor aviary for one pair this year. They really thrived in the fresh air and look stunning now. The male is very smart and has at least 18 phrases he can say although he speaks alot less now that he has a mate.
    I hope this wild birds continue to thrive and people protect their environments so that they can live out their lives the way nature intended them to.

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I believe that I was born with an intense interest in animals, as neither I nor any of my family can recall a time when I was not fascinated by creatures large and small. One might imagine this to be an unfortunate set of circumstances for a person born and raised in the Bronx, but, in actuality, quite the opposite was true. Most importantly, my family encouraged both my interest and the extensive menagerie that sprung from it. My mother and grandmother somehow found ways to cope with the skunks, flying squirrels, octopus, caimans and countless other odd creatures that routinely arrived un-announced at our front door. Assisting in hand-feeding hatchling praying mantises and in eradicating hoards of mosquitoes (I once thought I had discovered “fresh-water brine shrimp” and stocked my tanks with thousands of mosquito larvae!) became second nature to them. My mother went on to become a serious naturalist, and has helped thousands learn about wildlife in her 16 years as a volunteer at the Bronx Zoo. My grandfather actively conspired in my zoo-buildings efforts, regularly appearing with chipmunks, boa constrictors, turtles rescued from the Fulton Fish Market and, especially, unusual marine creatures. It was his passion for seahorses that led me to write a book about them years later. Thank you very much, for a complete biography of my experience click here.
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